About 20 Britons were among the first tourists to be finally airlifted out of Machu Picchu after the mudslides that left 2,000 people stranded at the Incan site, a British official in Peru said today.

The tourists were cut off in villages throughout the Sacred valley on Sunday, when mudslides blocked the only route in or out of the area – the railway line to the city of Cuzco. Five people died and rescue efforts were hampered by ­torrential rain.

So far, about 500 travellers have left in helicopters scrambled by the Peruvian and American governments, said Barry Walker, the UK's honorary consul to Cuzco. "As far as we know, somewhere in the region of 20-odd [Britons] have been among those airlifted out," he said.

The rescue operation is made much more complicated because tourists are still turning up in the area daily. About 250 arrived yesterday, with more expected today. Authorities closed the Inca trail on Tuesday. Many people who started the four-day trek before then will be arriving at Machu Picchu in the coming days.

"It's worrisome. We didn't think it would take this long," the tourism minister, Martín Pérez, told RPP radio. "We can evacuate 120 tourists per hour; now the only thing we need is for the climate to help us out a little bit."

Officials had talked of having the rail route restored and the tourists out by Tuesday, but authorities now say they may need two or three more days.

Tourists who were flown out yesterday told the Associated Press that the rescue operation was being hampered by erosion of the site where helicopters were landing caused by a rain-swollen river.

Meanwhile, conditions are deteriorating for the 1,500 travellers still hunkered down in villages near the Inca citadel, who complain of a lack of food, water and hotel rooms.

Sarah Child, a Briton who has been stranded since Sunday in Machu Picchu Pueblo, said the situation was frustrating.

The 25-year-old was on a tour organised by Intrepid Travel when trouble began. "Luckily we've managed to get hotel rooms every night, but people have been sleeping in tents in the main square," she said.

"We've been told that they are evacuating according to age. They did the over-60s and women with children first, and they are going to work down from there. The 19-29-year-olds will be last."

She said prices had doubled or even trebled in the past few days, particularly for internet and laundry services. "Most people on the trek didn't think they would be away for long and turned up with a backpack full of smelly, wet clothes," she said.

The foreign minister, José Antonio García Belaúnde, said 1,500 to 1,600 tourists remained stranded and more were arriving.

"Everyone is safe, though obviously uncomfortable. They are sleeping in tents, and the food gets there late, but what's important is that they are safe," he said.

Mudslides caused by heavy rain have killed a total of five people in the Cuzco region, including an Argentinian trekker and her guide who were crushed while camping on the Inca trail on Tuesday.